Women’s Leadership Prize Created by Living Proof and MIT

Living Proof, the hair care brand owned by Unilever, partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the school's annual Solve Initiative. The Living Proof Prize: Women's Leadership Solution will award up to $100,000 to four women-led teams that focus on economic prosperity, health, learning and sustainability. Living Proof's workforce is 75% women.

MIT's Solve program challenges select tech entrepreneurs and connects them with Solve members for funding and support. Solve got its start in 2015. The Solve Global Challenges will provide innovators access to more than $1.3 million in funding. The Challenge closes March 31.

The Living Proof/MIT link runs deep. In 2005, the brand was founded by MIT Professor Dr. Bob Langer and a team of hairstylists. The company has received more than 150 patents and created over 450 formulas. The Living Proof lineup includes 44 products, such as shampoos, conditioners, sprays and treatments.

Company Q&A

Happi asked the team at Living Proof to provide additional details about this initiative and what's new at the company.

HAPPI: We know of Living Proof’s long-standing link and development connection with MIT.  But can you share some additional insight into how and when the alliance with the Solve initiative came to fruition?

Living Proof: This partnership makes a full circle moment for both the brand and institution as Living Proof was conceived between an unique pairing of editorial hairstylists and elite MIT professors in 2005.

HAPPI:  Can you speak to the specifics around the development of the prize for women’s leadership solutions? How does this speak to Living Proof as an organization?

Living Proof: At Living Proof we are extremely proud to house our own R&D department in our actual office in Boston. Not only do we completely develop our products and technologies in-house, we have an entire research department dedicated to future innovation.  Of that team there, 15 are female scientists and chemists.  Solve finds incredible tech-based social entrepreneurs all around the world, bringing together MIT’s innovation ecosystem and a community of Members to fund and support these entrepreneurs to help them drive lasting, transformational impact.  By developing a prize specifically for women-led solver teams, Living Proof is able to further support and amplify the next generation of leaders within the STEM space.

HAPPI: Are there specific staffers who will be involved in Solve in 2022 and what will their role be?

Living Proof: To further our partnership, CEO Zach Rieken will have a seat on the 2022 Global Challenge Leadership Groups (CLGs), which is an invitation-only group of leaders tasked with selecting and supporting the solutions during the term, which serves as an added element to deepen the partnership.  In addition to Zach, there is an internal cohort of employees who have opted into participation in the program. As a member of this group, these Living Proof staffers will be tasked with reviewing, scoring and submitting recommendations within the group of challenge submissions. 

This is a commitment that everyone in our company is making – we look at this partnership as means to get everyone on the team involved in helping to vet the submissions and be part of the winner selection process at first.  Then we plan to offer further guidance and mentorship from some of our team members.

HAPPI: What are the company's corporate goals with Solve partnership? 

Living Proof: As a brand constantly innovating – we actually call it ‘Science In Action’ and it’s our brand driver.  Since Living Proof began, we were dedicated to solving the world’s greatest hair problems.  With our partnership with MIT Solve we continue that commitment – now to use our financial contributions, team and platforms to help solve some of the world’s biggest social and environmental problems.  In addition, would the work with Solve also be an avenue to find innovative partners either in terms of formulation/ingredients, tech or other aspects of the businesses?  Our hope and goal are to have the winners of these challenges become part of the Living Proof family. We want to take them under our wing and help them advance their ideas, drum-up support and give them a platform for awareness and growth. It is our commitment to amplify the impact of their work on the Challenge. As mentioned above, we look at this partnership as a way to offer further guidance and mentorship from some of our team members.

HAPPI: How many staff work in R&D at Living Proof currently?

Living Proof: At present, Living Proof’s R&D department has 21 employees, 15 of which are female and 6 of which are male

HAPPI: What are some of the newest products from Living Proof and how do these technologies provide benefits to hair?

Living Proof: Living Proof’s newest addition to their Full Range – Dry Volume and Texture Spray ($32). This all-in-one styling product was formulated with solutions in mind and helps to add volume and texture to hair for the perfect lived-in, bed head effect, without the tangles and oil.

A reformulation of the beloved Full Dry Volume Blast, this new innovation features functional and crowd-sourced improvements including a more even spray from the nozzle and added styling benefits including a light hairspray-like grip that adds texture without leaving the hair feeling dried out.  Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo [is] the brainchild that was formulated as the result of extensive customer feedback on their original Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo.

While most dry shampoos just sit on top of the hair strands to camouflage oil, Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo actually works to absorb and cleanse the hair from the inside out, mimicking the cleansing power of a traditional liquid shampoo and making it different from any other dry shampoo on the market! Other dry shampoos only target the natural oils that hair produces while Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo targets sweat and odor to provide that just cleaned feel and smell.  Additionally, Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo also provides conditioning benefits including an added softness, shine and manageability to the hair as other dry shampoos leave the hair feeling stiff and dry, making it harder to style. This dry shampoo doesn't just clean your hair, it cares for it, too!

Advanced Clean Dry Shanpoo’s new and improved delivery system dispenses the product more thoroughly throughout the hair strands to provide an even layer of cleaning and conditioning agents. This new delivery system helps to remove everything you don’t want from the hair while not leaving behind any unwanted residue or chalky finish.